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1471618

registered interest
date	20/06/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Poetry: Education
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to support poetry teaching in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	21179
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2022 answer text <p>Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.</p><p>Poetry is prominent in the national curriculum for English at key stages 1, 2, 3 and 4. At different stages of their education, students should have opportunities to: develop pleasure in reading and discussing poetry, learn poetry by heart and write their own poetry. As part of the English Literature GCSE, students are taught to read and appreciate the depth and power of the English literary heritage, including studying poetry written since 1789.</p><p>The department funds an initiative called Poetry by Heart which helps to develop and support inspiring poetry teaching in schools, and to motivate pupils and teachers to explore our rich literary heritage: <a href="http://www.poetrybyheart.org.uk/" target="_blank">http://www.poetrybyheart.org.uk/</a>. Pupils choose poems from the online anthology covering 1,000 years of poetry and recite these in school-based competitions. A national final was held in Shakespeare’s Globe in June 2022 and was open to pupils in key stages 2, 3, 4 and 5.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 24/06/2022 13:53:36 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1471719

registered interest
date	20/06/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Russian Language: GCE A-level and GCSE
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he is having with exam boards to ensure the exam specifications for Russian (a) GCSE and (b) A-Level courses do not cause distress to Ukrainian students.
tabling member constituency	Twickenham
tabling member printed	Munira Wilson
uin	21288
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/06/2022 answer text <p>Awarding organisations look carefully at their specifications and exam questions each year to manage any negative impacts on students. Awarding organisations are regulated by Ofqual, the office of qualifications and examinations regulation. Discussion about sensitivities in exam specifications is a matter for Ofqual. I have asked its Chief Regulator, Dr Jo Saxton, to write to the hon. Member for Twickenham and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 23/06/2022 16:16:54 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4776 label Biography information for Munira Wilson

1471784

registered interest
date	20/06/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to help protect clinically vulnerable members of staff from covid-19 in schools in England.
tabling member constituency	Chesterfield
tabling member printed	Mr Toby Perkins
uin	21164
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/06/2022 answer text <p>Most people who were previously identified as clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) are now well protected after receiving their primary and booster vaccination doses. For most people who were identified as CEV, they are no longer at substantially greater risk than the general population and are advised to follow the same guidance as everyone else on staying safe and preventing the spread of COVID-19, as well as any further advice they may have received from their doctor.</p><p>As individuals are now mixing in an otherwise open society, regular testing within education providers is no longer as effective as it once was at preventing transmission. Instead, the most effective protection against severe disease from COVID-19 for everyone, including those at higher risk from COVID-19, is to get vaccinated.</p><p>Education providers should undertake a risk assessment of individuals with clinical vulnerabilities attending the provider and, as employers, should be able to explain the measures they have in place to keep staff safe at work.</p><p>Those at higher risk may also wish to consider additional advice:</p><ul><li>Those previously considered CEV may wish to consider taking extra precautions outlined in guidance from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), which is available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19</a>.</li><li>Individuals with a weakened immune system should follow guidance from the UKHSA and DHSC for people whose immune system means they are at higher risk from COVID-19. The guidance is available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-people-whose-immune-system-means-they-are-at-higher-risk" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-people-whose-immune-system-means-they-are-at-higher-risk</a>.</li><li>In some circumstances, staff, children, pupils or students may have received advice from their specialist or clinician. They should follow this advice, which may be set out in a healthcare plan.</li></ul><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 23/06/2022 11:41:28 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	3952 label Biography information for Mr Toby Perkins

1471810

registered interest
date	20/06/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Religion: Education
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Ofsted research review series: religious education, published on 12 May 2021, what plans his Department has to ensure access to high quality in-service training for leaders and teachers of religious education.
tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
tabling member printed	Tim Farron
uin	21150
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2022 answer text <p>One of the department’s priorities is to ensure that we continue to attract, retain, and develop the highly skilled teachers needed, as set out in our Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy in 2019. In the 2020/21 academic year, the department exceeded the postgraduate initial teacher training (ITT) target in religious education (129% of target), and in 2021/22 we met 99% of the target.</p><p> </p><p>The department does not prescribe the curriculum content of initial teacher training (ITT) courses. However, courses must be designed so that teacher trainees can demonstrate that they meet all of the Teachers' Standards at the appropriate level. The ITT Core Content Framework sets out a minimum entitlement of knowledge, skills and experiences that trainees need to enter the profession in the best position possible to teach and support all children and young people. The framework is not subject specific but sets out a minimum entitlement to training that accredited ITT providers must incorporate into their primary and/or secondary ITT curricula. It is up to partnerships to make choices around curriculum and sequencing to suit the subject, phase, and age range that trainees will be teaching.</p><p> </p><p>Beyond the first few years of teaching, the department’s priority is to help all teachers and school leaders to continuously develop their expertise throughout their careers. We have improved our training support offer to all schools and teachers, to ensure that they receive high quality training and development at every stage of their career, from initial teacher training and the introduction of the Early Career Framework (ECF) reforms through to leadership qualifications.</p><p> </p><p>The ECF reforms were introduced to improve support for early career teachers. The ECF itself underpins what all early career teachers should learn about and learn how to do based on expert guidance and the best available research evidence. It is designed to work for all early career teachers of religious education as well as all others regardless of subject, phase and/or school.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker grouped question UIN 21152 question first answered 27/06/2022 15:47:13 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

1471811

registered interest
date	20/06/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Religion: Education
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department plans to introduce a national professional qualification for religious education leaders.
tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
tabling member printed	Tim Farron
uin	21151
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2022 answer text <p>National professional qualifications (NPQs) are a national, voluntary suite of qualifications, designed to support the professional development of teachers and school leaders.</p><p>NPQs are based on the latest evidence of what works and have been developed by teachers, leaders, and education experts, and are designed to allow for practical implementation in their own settings across the country. NPQs provide teachers access to the best possible in-role training and support, both in specialist areas of practice, such as leading the teaching and learning of a subject, key stage, or phase, and in leadership roles, too.</p><p>Each NPQ is underpinned by a content framework. The content of the NPQ frameworks build on and complement one another, to deliver a shared understanding of the principles of effective professional development.</p><p> </p><p>While it is not subject-specific, the NPQ in Leading Teaching will enable professionals to develop expert teaching practice within their relevant context through the use of subject-specific, phase-specific, or domain-specific exemplification materials.</p><p> </p><p>NPQs are also designed to allow professionals to develop expert teaching and leadership practice to apply this to their relevant context.</p><p> </p><p>NPQs can and should be supplemented by a variety of subject-specific professional development, including that which is provided by schools, trusts, subject associations, charities, curriculum hubs, Oak National Academy, and other private training organisations.</p><p> </p><p>The government is committed to delivering 500,000 teacher training opportunities over the next 3 years. As part of this, we are investing in training scholarships so that all teachers and school leaders in state-funded schools can access NPQs for free over the next three academic years.</p><p> </p><p>The department encourages all Religious Education leaders to consider enrolling on a fully-funded NPQ. To do so, they should contact their local Teaching School Hub in the first instance. Further information about NPQs and the content frameworks can be accessed on:<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-professional-qualifications-npqs-reforms/national-professional-qualifications-npqs-reforms." target="_blank"> https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-professional-qualifications-npqs-reforms/national-professional-qualifications-npqs-reforms.</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 28/06/2022 10:37:57 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

1471812

registered interest
date	20/06/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Religion: Primary Education
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans his Department has to ensure the quality and quantity of primary religious education training in initial teacher training and for early career teachers.
tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
tabling member printed	Tim Farron
uin	21152
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2022 answer text <p>One of the department’s priorities is to ensure that we continue to attract, retain, and develop the highly skilled teachers needed, as set out in our Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy in 2019. In the 2020/21 academic year, the department exceeded the postgraduate initial teacher training (ITT) target in religious education (129% of target), and in 2021/22 we met 99% of the target.</p><p> </p><p>The department does not prescribe the curriculum content of initial teacher training (ITT) courses. However, courses must be designed so that teacher trainees can demonstrate that they meet all of the Teachers' Standards at the appropriate level. The ITT Core Content Framework sets out a minimum entitlement of knowledge, skills and experiences that trainees need to enter the profession in the best position possible to teach and support all children and young people. The framework is not subject specific but sets out a minimum entitlement to training that accredited ITT providers must incorporate into their primary and/or secondary ITT curricula. It is up to partnerships to make choices around curriculum and sequencing to suit the subject, phase, and age range that trainees will be teaching.</p><p> </p><p>Beyond the first few years of teaching, the department’s priority is to help all teachers and school leaders to continuously develop their expertise throughout their careers. We have improved our training support offer to all schools and teachers, to ensure that they receive high quality training and development at every stage of their career, from initial teacher training and the introduction of the Early Career Framework (ECF) reforms through to leadership qualifications.</p><p> </p><p>The ECF reforms were introduced to improve support for early career teachers. The ECF itself underpins what all early career teachers should learn about and learn how to do based on expert guidance and the best available research evidence. It is designed to work for all early career teachers of religious education as well as all others regardless of subject, phase and/or school.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker grouped question UIN 21150 question first answered 27/06/2022 15:47:13 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

1471848

registered interest
date	20/06/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Racial Discrimination
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance the Government has issued on racial justice work and workshops in schools.
tabling member constituency	Twickenham
tabling member printed	Munira Wilson
uin	21291
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2022 answer text <p>The government condemns and strives to tackle all forms of racial discrimination, prejudice, and harassment. Under the Equality Act 2010, schools have a duty to take steps to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation, to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations across all protected characteristics, including between people of different ethnic backgrounds.</p><p> </p><p>The department has not provided specific guidance or funding to schools to deliver racial justice work and workshops. Schools have flexibility over how they deliver subjects, so they can develop an integrated approach that is sensitive to the needs and background of their pupils. The department has published advice to support schools to fulfil their duties under the Equality Act 2010, which is available here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/315587/Equality_Act_Advice_Final.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/315587/Equality_Act_Advice_Final.pdf</a>.</p><p> </p><p>As part of a broad and balanced curriculum, pupils should be taught about different societies. This includes learning how different groups have contributed to the development of Britain. The curriculum offers many opportunities for schools to do this, notably through citizenship education and relationships education, which is now compulsory in all schools and has a clear focus on the importance of valuing difference. The history curriculum also gives teachers the flexibility to include the contribution of black and minority ethnic history into lessons. This aligns with the school’s duty to promote and foster good relations across all protected characteristics, including race.</p><p> </p><p>Guidance on the implementation and teaching of the relationships, sex and health education curriculum is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/teaching-about-relationships-sex-and-health" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/teaching-about-relationships-sex-and-health</a>. The national curriculum content for citizenship can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-citizenship-programmes-of-study" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-citizenship-programmes-of-study</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The department continues to publish information, guidance and support for teachers and school leaders on how to challenge radical views, including racist and discriminatory beliefs, on the website Educate Against Hate, which is available at: <a href="https://educateagainsthate.com/" target="_blank">https://educateagainsthate.com/</a>. One of these resources is the ‘Respectful School Communities’ toolkit, a self-review and signposting tool to support schools to develop a whole-school approach which promotes respect and discipline. This can combat bullying, harassment and prejudice of any kind, including hate-based bullying. This toolkit is available here: <a href="https://educateagainsthate.com/resources/respectful-school-communities-self-review-signposting-tool-2/" target="_blank">https://educateagainsthate.com/resources/respectful-school-communities-self-review-signposting-tool-2/</a>.</p><p> </p><p>It is important that schools take full responsibility for ensuring lessons and materials are age appropriate, suitable, and politically impartial, particularly when using materials produced by external organisations. The department published the guidance, ‘Political impartiality in schools’, to support schools to meet their duties in this area, which is available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/political-impartiality-in-schools" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/political-impartiality-in-schools</a>.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker grouped question UIN 21292 question first answered 27/06/2022 13:20:47 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4776 label Biography information for Munira Wilson

1471849

registered interest
date	20/06/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Racial Discrimination
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what funding the Government has allocated to support racial justice work and workshops in schools.
tabling member constituency	Twickenham
tabling member printed	Munira Wilson
uin	21292
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2022 answer text <p>The government condemns and strives to tackle all forms of racial discrimination, prejudice, and harassment. Under the Equality Act 2010, schools have a duty to take steps to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation, to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations across all protected characteristics, including between people of different ethnic backgrounds.</p><p> </p><p>The department has not provided specific guidance or funding to schools to deliver racial justice work and workshops. Schools have flexibility over how they deliver subjects, so they can develop an integrated approach that is sensitive to the needs and background of their pupils. The department has published advice to support schools to fulfil their duties under the Equality Act 2010, which is available here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/315587/Equality_Act_Advice_Final.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/315587/Equality_Act_Advice_Final.pdf</a>.</p><p> </p><p>As part of a broad and balanced curriculum, pupils should be taught about different societies. This includes learning how different groups have contributed to the development of Britain. The curriculum offers many opportunities for schools to do this, notably through citizenship education and relationships education, which is now compulsory in all schools and has a clear focus on the importance of valuing difference. The history curriculum also gives teachers the flexibility to include the contribution of black and minority ethnic history into lessons. This aligns with the school’s duty to promote and foster good relations across all protected characteristics, including race.</p><p> </p><p>Guidance on the implementation and teaching of the relationships, sex and health education curriculum is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/teaching-about-relationships-sex-and-health" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/teaching-about-relationships-sex-and-health</a>. The national curriculum content for citizenship can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-citizenship-programmes-of-study" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-citizenship-programmes-of-study</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The department continues to publish information, guidance and support for teachers and school leaders on how to challenge radical views, including racist and discriminatory beliefs, on the website Educate Against Hate, which is available at: <a href="https://educateagainsthate.com/" target="_blank">https://educateagainsthate.com/</a>. One of these resources is the ‘Respectful School Communities’ toolkit, a self-review and signposting tool to support schools to develop a whole-school approach which promotes respect and discipline. This can combat bullying, harassment and prejudice of any kind, including hate-based bullying. This toolkit is available here: <a href="https://educateagainsthate.com/resources/respectful-school-communities-self-review-signposting-tool-2/" target="_blank">https://educateagainsthate.com/resources/respectful-school-communities-self-review-signposting-tool-2/</a>.</p><p> </p><p>It is important that schools take full responsibility for ensuring lessons and materials are age appropriate, suitable, and politically impartial, particularly when using materials produced by external organisations. The department published the guidance, ‘Political impartiality in schools’, to support schools to meet their duties in this area, which is available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/political-impartiality-in-schools" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/political-impartiality-in-schools</a>.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker grouped question UIN 21291 question first answered 27/06/2022 13:20:48 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4776 label Biography information for Munira Wilson